My thoughts on the Phillies season.

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Hours after their beloved voice had died in a local Washington hospital, the Phillies hung on to win a wild one in the nation’s capital as they defeat the Nationals, 9-8. The victory gave them their first three games winning streak of the season.

The Nationals took an early lead in the first, as Elijah Dukes hit a two-out RBI double, scoring Cristian Guzman, who had earlier singled and had stolen second base, giving the Nats a 1-0 lead. The Phillies came back in the second, tying the game up at one apiece on a bases loaded walk to Chris Coste, scoring Jayson Werth, who had earlier singled, moved to second on a force out attempt, fielding error at second base by second baseman Anderson Hernandez on a Raul Ibanez grounder and a walk to Pedro Feliz. The Phils then took a 2-1 lead as starter Jamie Moyer hit a sacrifice fly to left, as Ibanez crossed the plate ahead of left fielder’s Adam Dunn’s throw to the plate. Washington tied it up at two all in their half of the second as Guzman hit a two-out RBI single, scoring Hernandez who had earlier singled, and had moved up to second base on Nats’ starter Daniel Carbrera’s sacifice bunt. The Phils retook the lead in the top of the third on Shane Victorino’s lead-off home run, his first home run of the year, making it 3-2 Phils. The Phillies made it 4-2 in the fourth as Jimmy Rollins hit a two-out RBI double, knocking in Feliz, who had earlier singled to left and had gone to second on Dunn’s fielding error and then moved on to third on Moyer’s ground out, 6-3. The Nationals got one of those runs back in their half of the fourth on a two-out single by Guzman, scoring Lastings Milledge, who had earlier single and stole second, making it a 4-3 Phillies’ lead. The Nats then tied the game up at four all in the fifth as Dukes hit a one-out solo home run, his first home run of the year. The Phils retook the lead for good in the seventh, as Ryan Howard hit a three-run home, his first home run of the year, scoring both Victorino and Chase Utley, who had both reached base after being hit by the pitch, with nobody out, making it 7-4 Phils. Two batters later, with one man out, Ibanez hit a solo shot, his third home run of the season, to make the score 8-4 Phils. In the bottom half of the inning, the Nats got two of the runs back on an one-out, two-run home run by Dunn, his second home run of the season, scoring Guzman, who had earlier singled, making it an 8-6 Phils’ lead. The Phils added an insurance run in the eighth, as Victorino hit a sacrifice fly, scoring pinch hitter Eric Bruntlett, who had earlier doubled and moved to third on a Rollins’ ground out, 4-3. In the ninth inning, the Nats made the game close as Ryan Zimmerman hit a two-run home run, with no one out, his second home run of the season, off of closer Brad Lidge, knocking in pinch runner Alberto Gonzalez, who was pinch running for Guzman, who had earlier singled, making it a 9-8 Phillies’ lead. But that would be the final score as Lidge went on to strike out Dunn on five pitches, get Dukes to strike out on four pitches and then get Nick Johnson to ground out to Howard for the final out, to record his third save of the season.

Jamie Moyer got the win as he pitched a good game for the Phillies, going six innings, giving up four runs on eight hits and two walks, as he struck out five. His record is now 1-1 with a too high ERA of 6.55. Clay Condrey pitched two thirds of an inning, giving up two runs on two hits. Scott Eyre went a third of an inning, getting out the only man he would face. Ryan Madson then pitched a scoreless eighth inning, holding the lead as he struck out two. Brad Lidge recorded his third save of the year as he went one inning, giving up two runs on two hits, as he struck out two men. Daniel Carbera got a no-decision as he pitched five innings, giving up four runs, only one of which was earned, on six hits and two walks, while striking out only two batters. Julian Tavarez then pitched two thirds of an inning, giving up a walk, as he struck out two. Mike Hinckley then pitched a third of an inning, striking out the only man he would face. Saul Rivera took the lost as he pitched an inning, giving up four runs on two hits and two hit batters, as he struck out one Phil. His record is now 0-1 with a 8.44 ERA. Wilfredo Ledezma would pitch an inning, giving up a run on one hit. Joe Beimel pitched a scoreless ninth, giving up only one hit.

The Phils collected ten hits in the game, with Ryan Howard, Jayson Werth and Raul Ibanez leading the way with two hits each. Howard and Ibanez both hit home runs, with Howard’s being a three-run blast and Ibanez’s a solo shot, while Ibanez also hit a double. Jimmy Rollins, Shane Victorino, Pedro Feliz and Eric Bruntlett had the Phils’ other four hits, with Victorino’s hit being a solo home run, while Rollins and Bruntlett’s hits were doubles. Besides Howard’s three RBI’s and Ibanez’s one, Victorino knocked in two, the second one on a sac fly, Rollins knocked in a run, Jamie Moyer plated a run with a sacrifice fly and Coste brought in one on a bases loaded walk. Howard raised his batting average to .345 and Werth increased his to .357 with their two hits, while Feliz is now hitting .364 thanks to his lone hit. Utley’s batting average dropped down to .400 as he went 0 for 4 in the game.

The Phillies (4-3) have the day off tomorrow. Although they were originally schedule to go to the White House to meet the President, that function has been cancelled because of Harry Kalas’ death earlier this afternoon. The next Phillies’ game will be played against the Nationals (0-7) Wednesday night from Nationals Park in Washington, D.C. The game will start at 7:05 pm Eastern. The Phillies will send to the mound Joe Blanton (0-1, 15.75), who is coming off a no-decision against the Braves on April 9, when he went only four innings, giving up nine runs on eleven hits and two walks, while striking out six, in the Phils 12-11 come from behind win. Blanton will be looking to improve upon his previous start. The Nationals’ starter is yet to be announced. The Phils will be looking to make it four wins in a row on Wednesday.

The bullpen’s five and one-third innings of shut out pitching allowed the Phillies to come from behind, capped off by Matt Stairs’ pinch hit two-run home run in the ninth inning, to defeat the Rockies, 7-5. The victory gave the Phils their first series win in the 2009 season as they head to the nation’s capital to face the winless Nationals.

After Rockies’ starter, Aaron Cook, had put the Phils down easily in the top of the first inning, Chan Ho Park took the mound to begin his first start as a Phil. He started off nicely by getting the lead-off hitter, Dexter Fowler, to ground out, 4-3, for the inning’s first out. Everything would then go badly after that, as Park’s breaking balls wouldn’t break within Denver’s higher attitude. After Ryan Spilborghs got on base with an one-out single, Brad Hawpe followed him with an RBI double, scoring Spilborghs, and giving the Rockies a quick 1-0 lead. After Park threw a passed ball, allowing Hawpe to reach third, Garrett Atkins brought him home with an RBI single, making the score 2-0 Rockies. Ian Stewart followed him with a single, sending Atkins over to second. The next batter, Troy Tulowitzki, walked, loading the bases with still only one man out. Park then struck out Chris Iannetta for the inning’s second out, thus seeing his chance to get out of the inning with very little damage. Sadly, it was not to be as Clint Barmes hit a two-out single, scoring both Atkins and Stewart, while sending Tulowitzki to third, giving the Rockies a 4-0 lead. Cook, the ninth batter of the inning, finally ended it by grounding out, 1-3. The Phillies got a run back in the top of the second, as, with a runner on second and one man out, Raul Ibanez hit a line drive that bounced off of Cook’s butt and then headed into the hole between shortstop and third for a single, as Ryan Howard, who had earlier double, quickly rounded third and scored on a heads up play, as Rockies’ shortstop, Tulowitzki, is unable to make a good throw to home plate, thus allowing Ibanez to reach second on the throw, making it 4-1 Rockies. The Rockies got that run back in the bottom half of the inning, as Fowler hit a lead-off solo home run, his second home run of the year, giving the Rockies a 5-1 lead. After nobody scored a run in the third, the Phillies got their second run in the fourth, as Jayson Werth knocked in Chase Utley, who had earlier singled, and had stole second when Howard struck out swinging, cutting the Rockies lead to 5-2. In the bottom half of the inning, after Park had given up a single to Spilborghs and had walked Hawpe, with one out, Charlie Manuel took him out of the game, and brought in Chad Durbin to keep the game close. Durbin did his job as he got Atkins to fly out to center for the second out of the inning and then struck out Stewart, swinging, to end the threat. The Phillies made it 5-3 Rockies in the sixth, when, with two men on base and one out, Werth knocked in his second RBI of the game, scoring Utley, who had earlier walked and had gone to second on Howard’s single, as Howard stopped at second base. In the bottom half of the inning, the Rockies would threathen again, as, with one out, Durbin gave up a single to Fowler, and then walked Spilborghs. Manuel then came out of the dugout and replaced Durbin with Scott Eyre. Eyre proceeded to do his job as he got Hawpe to fly out to left for the inning’s second out and then got Atkins to foul out to Howard to end the inning. Then in the eighth, the Phillies tied the game up at five all as Utley hit a two-run home run off of Manuel Corpas, his first home run of the year, as he knocked in Shane Victorino, who has earlier singled. Ryan Madson came in to pitched the bottom of the inning, and he pitched a 1-2-3 inning. In the ninth inning, with a runner on third and one man out, pinch hitter Matt Stairs would come to the plate and hit a 1-1 fastball into the right center field for a pinch hit two-run home run, giving the Phils a 7-5 lead, as he scored Pedro Feliz, who had earlier double and had gone to third on Chris Coste’s sacrifice bunt. In the bottom of the ninth, Brad Lidge took the mound for the Phils. After getting the first two men out, Lidge gave up a single to pinch hitter Jeff Baker, and then walked Stewart, bringing up the winning run to the plate in the person of Tulowitzki. On a 1-2 pitch, he got Tulowitzki to ground out, 4-3, for the final out, as he records his second save of the season.

Chan Ho Park received a no-decision, as he was only able to pitch three and a third innings, giving up five runs on seven hits and three walks, while striking out two. Chad Durbin pitched two scoreless innings, giving up no runs on one hit and a walk, as he struck out two. Scott Eyre pitched two-thirds of an inning, giving up no runs or hits. Clay Condrey pitched a scoreless inning, striking out a batter. Ryan Madson got the win as he pitched a 1-2-3 inning, striking out a batter. His record is now 1-0 with a 0.00 ERA. Brad Lidge pitched an inning, as he recorded his second save in two tries, giving up no runs on a hit and a walk, as he struck out a batter. Aaron Cook also received a no-decision as he pitched six strong innings, giving up three runs on seven hits and a walk, while striking out two. Jason Grilli pitched a third of an inning in relief, giving up no runs on one hit, while striking out one. Alan Embree pitched two thirds of an inning, giving up no runs or hits. Manuel Corpas blew the save, as he gave up two runs on three hits, while striking out a batter. Huston Street took the lost as he gave up two runs on two hits, while striking out a batter. His record is now 0-1 with a high ERA of 10.13. The Phils’ starters are still looking for their first quality start after two full series.

The Phillies had thriteen hits in the ballgame, with Ryan Howard leading the way as he went 3 for 4 (2 singles, 1 double), and scored a run as he raised his batting average for the season to .333. Chase Utley, Jayson Werth and Pedro Feliz followed with each man getting two hits in the game. Utley had a single and a home run, his first of the season, as he knocked in two runs and scored three, raising his batting average to .476, placing him fourth among the league leaders in batting. Werth had two singles, knocking in two runs, as he increased his batting average to .348. Feliz had a single and a double, scoring a run, as he increased his batting average to .368. Shane Victorino, Raul Ibanez, Chad Durbin and Matt Stairs had the other four Phillies’ hit, with Ibanez knocking in one run and Stairs hitting a pinch-hit two-run home run. Through six games, the Phillies’ team batting average is .271, presently fifth in the National League.

The Phillies (3-3), continue their six-games road trip by going to the nation’s capitol, Washington, D.C. for a three-games series with the presently winless Nationals (0-6). The first game of the series will be played this afternoon at Nationals Park. Game time will be 3:05 pm Eastern. The Phillies’ starter will be Jamie Moyer, who will be trying to recover from his bad outing against the Braves on April 7, when he gave up four runs on eight hits and two walks, as he struck out two batters, as he pitched for five innings. His record is presently 0-1 with a 7.20 ERA. Moyer willing be trying to give the Phillies their first quality start by one of their starters. His opponent will be Daniel Cabrera, who lost his first start against the Marlins, as he went six innings, giving up five runs on seven hits, with an ERA of 7.50 in the Nationals’ 6-1 lost on April 8. He will be trying to give the Nationals their first win of the season.

The bullpen’s five and one-third innings of shut out pitching allowed the Phillies to come from behind, capped off by Matt Stairs’ pinch hit two-run home run in the ninth inning, to defeat the Rockies, 7-5. The victory gave the Phils their first series win in the 2009 season as they head to the nation’s capital to face the winless Nationals.

After Rockies’ starter, Aaron Cook, had put the Phils down easily in the top of the first inning, Chan Ho Park took the mound to begin his first start as a Phil. He started off nicely by getting the lead-off hitter, Dexter Fowler, to ground out, 4-3, for the inning’s first out. Everything would then go badly after that, as Park’s breaking balls wouldn’t break within Denver’s higher attitude. After Ryan Spilborghs got on base with an one-out single, Brad Hawpe followed him with an RBI double, scoring Spilborghs, and giving the Rockies a quick 1-0 lead. After Park threw a passed ball, allowing Hawpe to reach third, Garrett Atkins brought him home with an RBI single, making the score 2-0 Rockies. Ian Stewart followed him with a single, sending Atkins over to second. The next batter, Troy Tulowitzki, walked, loading the bases with still only one man out. Park then struck out Chris Iannetta for the inning’s second out, thus seeing his chance to get out of the inning with very little damage. Sadly, it was not to be as Clint Barmes hit a two-out single, scoring both Atkins and Stewart, while sending Tulowitzki to third, giving the Rockies a 4-0 lead. Cook, the ninth batter of the inning, finally ended it by grounding out, 1-3. The Phillies got a run back in the top of the second, as, with a runner on second and one man out, Raul Ibanez hit a line drive that bounced off of Cook’s butt and then headed into the hole between shortstop and third for a single, as Ryan Howard, who had earlier double, quickly rounded third and scored on a heads up play, as Rockies’ shortstop, Tulowitzki, is unable to make a good throw to home plate, thus allowing Ibanez to reach second on the throw, making it 4-1 Rockies. The Rockies got that run back in the bottom half of the inning, as Fowler hit a lead-off solo home run, his second home run of the year, giving the Rockies a 5-1 lead. After nobody scored a run in the third, the Phillies got their second run in the fourth, as Jayson Werth knocked in Chase Utley, who had earlier singled, and had stole second when Howard struck out swinging, cutting the Rockies lead to 5-2. In the bottom half of the inning, after Park had given up a single to Spilborghs and had walked Hawpe, with one out, Charlie Manuel took him out of the game, and brought in Chad Durbin to keep the game close. Durbin did his job as he got Atkins to fly out to center for the second out of the inning and then struck out Stewart, swinging, to end the threat. The Phillies made it 5-3 Rockies in the sixth, when, with two men on base and one out, Werth knocked in his second RBI of the game, scoring Utley, who had earlier walked and had gone to second on Howard’s single, as Howard stopped at second base. In the bottom half of the inning, the Rockies would threathen again, as, with one out, Durbin gave up a single to Fowler, and then walked Spilborghs. Manuel then came out of the dugout and replaced Durbin with Scott Eyre. Eyre proceeded to do his job as he got Hawpe to fly out to left for the inning’s second out and then got Atkins to foul out to Howard to end the inning. Then in the eighth, the Phillies tied the game up at five all as Utley hit a two-run home run off of Manuel Corpas, his first home run of the year, as he knocked in Shane Victorino, who has earlier singled. Ryan Madson came in to pitched the bottom of the inning, and he pitched a 1-2-3 inning. In the ninth inning, with a runner on third and one man out, pinch hitter Matt Stairs would come to the plate and hit a 1-1 fastball into the right center field for a pinch hit two-run home run, giving the Phils a 7-5 lead, as he scored Pedro Feliz, who had earlier double and had gone to third on Chris Coste’s sacrifice bunt. In the bottom of the ninth, Brad Lidge took the mound for the Phils. After getting the first two men out, Lidge gave up a single to pinch hitter Jeff Baker, and then walked Stewart, bringing up the winning run to the plate in the person of Tulowitzki. On a 1-2 pitch, he got Tulowitzki to ground out, 4-3, for the final out, as he records his second save of the season.

Chan Ho Park received a no-decision, as he was only able to pitch three and a third innings, giving up five runs on seven hits and three walks, while striking out two. Chad Durbin pitched two scoreless innings, giving up no runs on one hit and a walk, as he struck out two. Scott Eyre pitched two-thirds of an inning, giving up no runs or hits. Clay Condrey pitched a scoreless inning, striking out a batter. Ryan Madson got the win as he pitched a 1-2-3 inning, striking out a batter. His record is now 1-0 with a 0.00 ERA. Brad Lidge pitched an inning, as he recorded his second save in two tries, giving up no runs on a hit and a walk, as he struck out a batter. Aaron Cook also received a no-decision as he pitched six strong innings, giving up three runs on seven hits and a walk, while striking out two. Jason Grilli pitched a third of an inning in relief, giving up no runs on one hit, while striking out one. Alan Embree pitched two thirds of an inning, giving up no runs or hits. Manuel Corpas blew the save, as he gave up two runs on three hits, while striking out a batter. Huston Street took the lost as he gave up two runs on two hits, while striking out a batter. His record is now 0-1 with a high ERA of 10.13. The Phils’ starters are still looking for their first quality start after two full series.

The Phillies had thriteen hits in the ballgame, with Ryan Howard leading the way as he went 3 for 4 (2 singles, 1 double), and scored a run as he raised his batting average for the season to .333. Chase Utley, Jayson Werth and Pedro Feliz followed with each man getting two hits in the game. Utley had a single and a home run, his first of the season, as he knocked in two runs and scored three, raising his batting average to .476, placing him fourth among the league leaders in batting. Werth had two singles, knocking in two runs, as he increased his batting average to .348. Feliz had a single and a double, scoring a run, as he increased his batting average to .368. Shane Victorino, Raul Ibanez, Chad Durbin and Matt Stairs had the other four Phillies’ hit, with Ibanez knocking in one run and Stairs hitting a pinch-hit two-run home run. Through six games, the Phillies’ team batting average is .271, presently fifth in the National League.

The Phillies (3-3), continue their six-games road trip by going to the nation’s capitol, Washington, D.C. for a three-games series with the presently winless Nationals (0-6). The first game of the series will be played this afternoon at Nationals Park. Game time will be 3:05 pm Eastern. The Phillies’ starter will be Jamie Moyer, who will be trying to recover from his bad outing against the Braves on April 7, when he gave up four runs on eight hits and two walks, as he struck out two batters, as he pitched for five innings. His record is presently 0-1 with a 7.20 ERA. Moyer willing be trying to give the Phillies their first quality start by one of their starters. His opponent will be Daniel Cabrera, who lost his first start against the Marlins, as he went six innings, giving up five runs on seven hits, with an ERA of 7.50 in the Nationals’ 6-1 lost on April 8. He will be trying to give the Nationals their first win of the season.

The Phillies starting rotation is still looking for its first quality start of 2009 as the Rockies crush the rotation’s ace, Cole Hamels, for seven runs, as the Phils lose to the Rockies, 10-3.

The Phils, for the first time this season, took the lead, as Pedro Feliz, in the second inning, hit a sacrifice fly, knocking in Jayson Werth, who had earlier doubled, and had gone to third base on shortstop Troy Tulowitzki’s fielding error of Raul Ibanez’s groundball, making it 1-0 Phillies. Hamels, meanwhile, threw two good innings, before getting pummeled by the Rockies in the third. Clint Barmes started the inning off with a double. Opposing pitcher Jason Marquis then followed him with an RBI single, scoring Barmes, tying up the game at one all. After Dexter Fowler is called out for batter interference on a bunt attempt for the inning’s first out, Ryan Spilborghs followed with a double, moving Marquis to third base, putting runners on second and third with one out. The next batter, Todd Helton, then hit into a 4-3 ground out for the inning’s second out, scoring Marquis, giving the Rockies a 2-1 lead, while sending Spilborghs over to third. Garret Atkins then followed with a two-run home run, his first home run of the season, scoring Spilborghs, and making it 4-1 Rockies. Brad Hawpe then got on base with a ground-rule double. Tulowitzki followed him with a triple, scoring Hawpe, and giving the Rockies a 5-1 lead. Chris Iannetta, the ninth batter of the inning, would finally end the nightmare by poping out to Carlos Ruiz in foul territory. The Phillies cut the Rockies’ lead to 5-2 as Feliz knocked in his second RBI of the game, this time with a 6-3 ground out, the second out of the inning, as he scored Werth, who had earlier doubled and had moved over to third base on an Ibanez 4-3 ground out. In the bottom half of the inning, the Rockies got the run back as Spilborghs doubled in Barmes, who had gotten on base with a single, had move over to second base on Marquis’ sacrifice bunt and had gone to third on Fowler’s 6-3 ground out, making it 6-2 Rockies. Helton followed with an RBI single, scoring Spilborghs, and giving the Rockies a 7-2 lead. After Hamels gave up a single to Atkins, putting runners on second and first, manager Charlie Manuel came to the mound and relieved Hamels, bringing in J.A. Happ. Happ ended the inning by getting Hawpe to ground out, 3-1, after earlier throwing a wild pitch which moved the runners up to third and second respectively. The score remained 7-2 until the bottom of the eighth, when the Rockies increased their lead with a three-run outburst. With Chad Durbin on the mound in relief, Fowler made it 8-2 Rockies with an one-out RBI single, as he knocked in Barmes, who had earlier reached base after being hit by the pitch and had moved up to second on pinch hitter Seth Smith’s walk, while Smith stopped at second base. Spilborghs then singled in Smith, making it 9-2 Rockies, while sending Fowler over to third, putting runners on the corners. Helton then followed with a sacrifice fly, scoring Fowler, and giving the Rockies a 10-2 lead. In the ninth, Werth made it a 10-3 Rockies’ lead as he hit a lead-off home run, his first of the season, off of Rockies’ reliever Matt Belisle. But that would be it for the Phils, as Belisle got Ibanez to ground out to first, Greg Dobbs to strike out and Chris Coste to ground out, 6-3, to end the ballgame.

Cole Hamels took the lost for the Phils, as he pitched only three and two-thirds innings, giving up seven runs on eleven hits and a walk, while striking out only one batter. His record is now 0-1 with a high ERA of 17.18. J.A. Happ followed him and pitched an inning and a third of relief, giving up only one hit as he struck out one. Clay Condrey came to the mound next and pitched a 1-2-3 inning, striking out a batter. Chad Durbin then pitched an inning, giving up three runs on two hits, a walk, and a hit batter, while striking out one. Jason Marquis got the win for the Rockies, as he pitched a quality start, going seven innings, giving up just two runs on five hits and two walks, while striking out two. Marquis’ record is now 1-0 with a 2.57 ERA. Alan Embree followed with a scoreless inning, giving up just one hit and a walk. Matt Belisle then pitched an inning of relief, giving up a run on one hit, Werth’s home run, as he struck out a batter.

Jayson Werth led the team by going four for four, with two singles, a double and a home runs, scoring all three Phillies’ run, increasing his batting average to .333. Chase Utley also had a good day, as he went two for three with a walk, increaing his average to .429. Carlos Ruiz, who went 0 for 2, with his average dropping down to .273, was taken out of the game for an injury to his right oblique.

The Phillies (1-3) will continue their three-game series with the Rockies (3-1) in Denver with a night game tonight at Coors Field. The game will start at 8:10 pm Eastern Time (6:10 pm Mountain). The Phillies’ starter will be Brett Myers (0-1, 6.00), who will be looking for his first win of the young season, trying to improve on his start last Sunday against the Braves. The Rockies will counter with Jorge De La Rosa, who will be starting his first game of the year. Last season, in twenty-eight games, twenty-three of which were starts, he went 10-8 with a 4.92 ERA. This season, his record is 0-0 with a -.– ERA. The Phillies will be trying to tie the series with a win tonight.

After trailing the Braves for the third straight game, the Phillies’ eight-run rally in the seventh inning lead to their first win of the 2009 season, as they defeat the Atlanta Braves, 12-11, ending the three-game series on a high note.

The Phillies began the afternoon by receiving their world series ring. After the ring ceremony, Joe Blanton started the game for the Phils, and right from the start was in for a long day as he gave up a two-out two-run home run to Brian McCann, his second home run of the young season, knocking in Yunel Escobar, who had earlier reached second base with a double, giving the Braves an early 2-0 lead. The Phils tied the game up in their half of the second as Raul Ibanez hit a two-run home run, his first homer as a Phil, and the team’s first home run of the season, scoring Ryan Howard, who had earlier doubled. The Braves retook the lead in the top of the third as they torched Blanton for five runs. After loading the bases via a single to Omar Infante, a walk to Kelly Johnson and another single to Escobar, with nobody out, McCann made the score 3-2 Braves by knocking in Infante with an RBI single, while moving Johnson and Escobar up to third and second respectively, leaving the bases loaded. After Casey Kotchman strikes out for the inning’ first out, Jeff Francoeur made it 5-2 Atlanta with a two-run single to center, knocking in both Johnson and Escobar, while McCann would move safely to third on Shane Victorino’s throw to home plate. Matt Diaz followed with a two-run double, scoring both Francoeur and McCann, giving the Braves a 7-2 lead. The Phils would get one of the runs back in the bottom half of the third, as Victorino, who had started the inning off with a triple, scored on an Infante throwing error of a Chase Utley ground ball to third base, making it 7-3 Atlanta. The Braves increased their lead to 9-3 in the fifth as rookie Jordan Schafer hit his second home run of his young career, a two-run shot to right, scoring Diaz, who had gotten on base earlier with a walk. Both runs came off of J.A. Happ, pitching in relief of Blanton, thus ending with one swing of the bat both the bullpen’s hitless and scoreless streak. The Braves added to their lead in the seventh, making it 10-3 Braves, as Chad Durbin gives up a bases loaded walk to Infante, forcing in Kotchman, who had earlier doubled and had moved over to third on Greg Norton’s walk, while moving Schafer to third, who had also walked, and moving Norton over to second base. Clay Condrey then came into the game in place of Durbin and got out of the inning by striking out Johnson. Now trailing 10-3, the offense decided to come to life. Victorino started off the Phils’ half of the seventh by grounding out, 5-3, for the inning’s first out. Utley followed with a single to center. Howard was then hit by the pitch, putting runners on first and second, as Utley moved up to second. The next batter, Jayson Werth, is then walked by Peter Moylan, who was pitching in relief of Eric O’Flaherty, loading the bases with still only one man out. Ibanez followed Werth with a single, knocking in Utley, as he collected his third RBI of the afternoon, making the score 10-4 Atlanta, while sending Howard over to third base, and Werth to second, leaving the bases loaded. Pedro Feliz then singled in Howard, making it 10-5 Braves, while Werth and Ibanez both moved up a base, leaving the bases loaded with Phils. Matt Stairs, pinch hitting for Carlos Ruiz, is given a four pitch walk, forcing in Werth with the third Phils’ run in the inning, reducing the Braves lead to 10-6, as the bases remained loaded. The next batter, pinch hitter Chris Coste, batting for Condrey, also walks, bringing home Ibanez, as the Phils now trailed 10-7, while the bases remained loaded for Jimmy Rollins, who became the ninth batter of the inning. Rollins received a four-pitch free pass, the third straight walk to a Phil batter, and the fourth walk of the inning, forcing in Feliz, as the bases stay loaded, making the score 10-8 Braves. The next batter, Victorino, followed with a single, scoring Stairs, making the score now 10-9 Atlanta, moving Coste and Rollins over to third and second base, respectively, as the bases remained loaded. The eleventh batter of the inning, Utley, walks, the fifth Phil to walk in the inning, tying the ballgame up at 10 all, as Coste crosses the plate, while Rollins and Victorino both moved up a base. Howard comes up to the plate, and with the count 1-1, hit the ball on a bounce towards Braves’ first baseman, Kotchman. Kotchman, having only one play, threw the ball over to relief pitcher Jorge Campillo, the fourth Braves reliever to pitch in the inning, who tagged the bag in front of Howard for the second out of the inning, as Rollins scored the go ahead run, giving the Phils their first lead of 2009, 11-10. Victorino and Utley both moved up a base on the play. Werth ended the inning by flying out to right. The Phils sent thirteen men to the plate, as they scored eight runs in the inning on four hits, five walks and a hit batter. Ryan Madson took over in the top of the eighth, pitching a strong 1-2-3 inning, throwing only seven pitches. The Phils added an insurance run in their half of the eighth, as Eric Bruntlett, pinch hitting for Madson, hit a sacrifice fly, scoring Ibanez, who had earlier walked and had gone to third on Feliz’s double, with nobody out, making it a 12-10 Phillies’ lead. In the ninth, Brad Lidge took the mound. Although he gave up a one-out solo home run to Diaz, his first home run of the season, Lidge recorded his first save of the 2009 season, as he struck out pinch hitter Garret Anderson for the final out, for the moment staying perfect in save opportunities as a Phil.

Joe Blanton received a no-decision as he got pummeled by the Braves, giving up seven runs on nine hits and two walks, while striking out six in four innings of work. J.A. Happ pitched two innings, giving up two runs on one hit and a walk, while he struck out two Braves. Chad Durbin pitched two-thirds of an inning, giving up a run on one hit and three walks. Clay Condrey received the win as he pitched a third of an inning, striking out the one man he would face. His record for 2009 is 1-0 with an ERA of 0.00. Ryan Madson pitched a 1-2-3 eighth inning, as he held the lead. Brad Lidge recorded his first save of the season as he pitched an inning, giving up a run on one hit, as he struck out one. Javier Vazquez also received a no-decision, as he pitched six innings for the Braves, giving up just three runs on five hits and four walks, as he struck out five batters. Eric O’Flaherty followed him, pitching only a third of an inning, as he gave up two runs on one hit. Peter Moylan pitched to four batters, getting none of them out, as he gave up four runs on two hits and two walks. Blaine Boyer took the lost as he faced only two batters, with both of them scoring, as he gave up two runs on no hits and two walks. Jorge Campillo blew the save, giving up a run on two hits and two walks, in two-thirds of an inning. Jeff Bennett pitched a scoreless inning, giving up a hit while striking out a batter.

The Phillies had eleven hits in the game, with Victorino, Utley, Ibanez and Feliz each getting two hits. Howard, Ruiz and Coste had the other three hits. Ibanez knocked in three runs, Utley brought home two, while Feliz, Stairs, Coste, Rollins, Victorino, Howard and Bruntlett each knocked in a run, with Bruntlett’s coming in on a sacrifice fly. The Phillies collected five extra-base hits in the game, three doubles (Howard, Utley and Feliz), a triple (Victorino) and a home run (Ibanez). After three games, Utley leads the team in hitting with a .364 batting average, followed by Ruiz with a pleasently surprising .333 average.

The Phils (1-2) are off today. Their next game will be on the road against the Colorado Rockies (2-1) in Denver, Colorado, at Coors Field. The game will start at 2:10 pm Mountain Time tomorrow afternoon. The Phillies will send to the mound their ace, Cole Hamels, who ended 2008 with a record of 14-10 in 33 starts with an ERA of 3.09 in the regular season. His record for this season is presently 0-0 with a -.– ERA. The Rockies will oppose him with Jason Marquis, who last season had a record of 11-9 for the Chicago Cubs, with an ERA of 4.53 in 29 games (28 of which were starts). His record for this season is also 0-0 with a -.– ERA. The Phillies will be trying to even their season record tomorrow.

In the first of two games with the Tampa Bay Rays before Opening Night, the 2008 World Champions Phils defeated the 2008 American League Champs with a two-run ninth inning rally, winning the ballgame 3-2.

Joe Blanton started the game for the Phillies, pitching five strong innings, as he gave up just two runs on six hits while striking out three Rays. He was followed to the mound by Chad Durbin, Scott Eyre and Ryan Madson, who each pitched a scoreless frame, giving up just one hit between them (Eyre) and two walks (Durbin and Eyre with one walk each), while they together struck out two Rays (Durbin and Madson one apiece). Brad Lidge, who got the win, pitched a 1-2-3 inning. Lidge spring training record is now 1-0 with a 4.00 ERA. Looks like Blanton and the bullpen are all ready to start the season.

The Phillies’ bats got six hits last night. Jayson Werth led the team with two hits, raising his spring training average to .324. Jimmy Rollins, Jason Donald, Ryan Howard and Carlos Ruiz got the other four Phils’ hits. Raul Ibanez, Chris Coste and Donald had the Phils’ three RBIs, with Donald’s being a walk-off single in the ninth inning, knocking in Eric Bruntlett with the game winner.

The Phillies are presently playing their last spring training game, also with the Rays, this afternoon at Citizens Bank Park. They are presently trailing the Rays 4-0 in the bottom of the third inning.

Last night, Brett Myers, the now designated opening night starter, showed that he was ready to take the mound next Sunday night, as he pitched a strong four innings, giving up only one run on three scattered hits, with the run coming in on a Travis Snider solo home run in the second inning, as he struck out three. Relievers J.C. Romero and Ryan Madson then followed him, each man pitching a scoreless inning, giving up just one hit between them (Romero) while striking out a batter (Madson). Jack Taschner, making his spring training debut as a Phil after his trade to the team, then came on to pitch an inning, giving up just one hit. Brad Lidge and Gary Majewski then pitched the final two innings for the Phils, with both man pitching 1-2-3 innings, striking out three batters between them (Lidge 2, Majewski 1). Myers got the win, with his spring record now at 2-2 with a 3.52 ERA. Hopefully, it’ll be the good Brett that will be making an appearance next Sunday night.

Batting-wise, the Phillies unloaded for nine runs and fifteen hits on Blue Jays’ pitching. Jimmy Rollins, Jayson Werth, Raul Ibanez and Pedro Feliz each collected two hits, while Eric Bruntlett, Chase Utley, Pablo Ozuna, Ryan Howard, Paul Hoover, Jason Ellison and Chris Coste got the other seven. Ibanez’ two hits were a double and a two-run home run, while both Rollins and Werth would also get doubles. Ibanez knocked in three of the Phils runs, Werth plated two, while Bruntlett, Howard, Ozuna and Matt Stairs each got an RBI, with Stairs’ RBI coming in when he was hit by the pitch with the bases loaded.

The Phillies next Grapefruit League game is this afternoon against the New York Yankees from George M. Steinbrenner Field, in Tampa, Florida. The game is presently in progress.

For the first time this spring, Jamie Moyer got roughed up on the mound. As he pitched five and two-thirds innings, the ageless wonder ended up giving up seven runs to the Bucos on eleven hits, including a solo home run to Andrew McCutchen in the fifth, and a walk while also striking out seven Pirates. There’s both good and bad news in the line. The good news is that Moyer is obviously still confusing the batters with his pitches, if the seven strikeouts are any indication. The bad news is that he got roughed up. Hopefully this will inspire him to be more clever the next time he takes the mound before he makes his first start of the season the Tuesday after next. Scott Eyre took the mound next for a third of an inning, striking out the only man he would face. Gary Majewski followed him for a scoreless inning, giving up just a hit. Brad Lidge pitched the eighth inning, giving up three runs on two hits, including a two-run shot to Garrett Jones, and a walk as he struck out one. With the lost, Moyer’s spring line is now 1-2 with a 5.40 ERA.

Among the batters, the Phillies only got four hits, with two of them being for homes runs and a third being a double. Carlos Ruiz would lead the offense, getting a double and a three-run home run in the seventh inning in three at-bats, knocking in three of the Phils four runs. His spring batting average is now at .385. Ryan Howard had one hit, a massive solo home run in the fourth, his eighth spring home run, putting his spring average up to .293. Chris Coste, now secured as the team’s back-up catcher, got the fourth and final hit in the Phillies’ 10-4 defeat.

The next Phillies spring training game will be played this afternoon at Bright House Field in Clearwater, Florida, as the Phils host the Boston Red Sox. The game starts at 1:05 pm Eastern.

Last December, the Phillies had traded catching prospect Jason Jaramillo to the Pittsburgh Pirates for Ronny Paulino, who they hoped would be able to challenge, if not win, the second catcher job from fan favorite Chris Coste. Sadly, for Paulino, his spring training average would show otherwise as he batted only .194 (6 for 31) in thirteen Grapefruit League games with only two doubles and a home run while striking out twelve times. Although Coste didn’t do any better with his at-bats, the Phillies have decided to go with the known quantity instead of the unknown and had put Paulino out as trade bait several days ago. Last night they got a nibble as the Giants had traded to them left-handed relief pitcher Jack Taschner for Paulino.

Although Taschner is having just as bad a spring pitching for the Giants in the Cactus League (6.23 ERA in eight and two-thirds inning), the Phils thinks that he is the man that they need for their bullpen right now. While pitching for the Giants last year, Taschner went 3-2 with a 4.88 ERA in fourty-eight innings as he appeared in 67 games. Career-wise, in four seasons in the big leagues, all with the Giants, Taschner has a career record of 8-4 with a 5.01 ERA in 140 innings as he pitched in 178 games, all in relief.

With the trade, the Phillies now have two left-handers coming out of the bullpen as they wait for J.C. Romero’s return from his soon to be served 50 games suspension. The trade may also have an influence on the battle for the final spot in the starting rotation, as its more than likely now that the left-hander J.A. Happ will either be declared the winner of the battle, over right-hander Chan Ho Park, or he will be sent down to the Lehigh Valley Triple-A team and will be the first pitcher to be called up if any of the members of the starting rotation is either injured or have a melt down. Only time will tell.

My thoughts on the trade? I think it’s a good strategic move on the Phillies’ part. The Phils have moved someone who they saw during spring training couldn’t cut it while getting in return a temporary, veteran, second left-handed arm to go along with their left-handed relief specialist Scott Eyre while they wait for J.C. Romero to come back from his enforced exile, thus preventing the kind of situations with Eyre like had just happened to him this past Thursday against the Yankees. Hopefully, Traschner will be good enough during that 50 games period that he makes it hard for the Phils to let him go when that happens. I would just love to see what the Phils will do if that happens. :)

Last December, the Phillies had traded catching prospect Jason Jaramillo to the Pittsburgh Pirates for Ronny Paulino, who they hoped would be able to challenge, if not win, the second catcher job from fan favorite Chris Coste. Sadly, for Paulino, his spring training average would show otherwise as he batted only .194 (6 for 31) in thirteen Grapefruit League games with only two doubles and a home run while striking out twelve times. Although Coste didn’t do any better with his at-bats, the Phillies have decided to go with the known quantity instead of the unknown and had put Paulino out as trade bait several days ago. Last night they got a nibble as the Giants had traded to them left-handed relief pitcher Jack Taschner for Paulino.

Although Taschner is having just as bad a spring pitching for the Giants in the Cactus League (6.23 ERA in eight and two-thirds inning), the Phils thinks that he is the man that they need for their bullpen right now. While pitching for the Giants last year, Taschner went 3-2 with a 4.88 ERA in fourty-eight innings as he appeared in 67 games. Career-wise, in four seasons in the big leagues, all with the Giants, Taschner has a career record of 8-4 with a 5.01 ERA in 140 innings as he pitched in 178 games, all in relief.

With the trade, the Phillies now have two left-handers coming out of the bullpen as they wait for J.C. Romero’s return from his soon to be served 50 games suspension. The trade may also have an influence on the battle for the final spot in the starting rotation, as its more than likely now that the left-hander J.A. Happ will either be declared the winner of the battle, over right-hander Chan Ho Park, or he will be sent down to the Lehigh Valley Triple-A team and will be the first pitcher to be called up if any of the members of the starting rotation is either injured or have a melt down. Only time will tell.

My thoughts on the trade? I think it’s a good strategic move on the Phillies’ part. The Phils have moved someone who they saw during spring training couldn’t cut it while getting in return a temporary, veteran, second left-handed arm to go along with their left-handed relief specialist Scott Eyre while they wait for J.C. Romero to come back from his enforced exile, thus preventing the kind of situations with Eyre like had just happened to him this past Thursday against the Yankees. Hopefully, Traschner will be good enough during that 50 games period that he makes it hard for the Phils to let him go when that happens. I would just love to see what the Phils will do if that happens. :)

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